Abigail's grandfather thanks Biden for her return

Abigail Edan's grandfather, thrilled at the return to Israel of his 4-year-old American-Israeli granddaughter, thanked U.S. President Joe Biden for his role in gaining her release after more than 50 days in Hamas captivity. “I am very thankful to Biden.

Abigail Edan's grandfather, thrilled at the return to Israel of his 4-year-old American-Israeli granddaughter, thanked U.S. President Joe Biden for his role in gaining her release after more than 50 days in Hamas captivity.

“I am very thankful to Biden. We love him for all the help he extends to us and also to all the Americans, thank you very much. We love you. Continue to support us. We are a democracy,” the grandfather, Carmel Edan, told Reuters. “Wow! I couldn’t believe it until I saw it. For a second I didn’t believe it," he said while waiting for Abigail in Israel after her exit from Gaza.

Although joyful at Abigail's return, he lamented the loss of her parents, Roy and Smadar, in a Hamas rampage through southern Israel on Oct. 7. Biden said Abigail had witnessed her parents being killed and had been held since then.

"What she endured is unthinkable," Biden said at a press conference in the U.S. Although 40 Israeli hostages have been returned, the grandfather said there was still work to be done.

"There are other people that have yet to return. I very much want them to return and for the army to finish the assignment as promised," he said, citing the government's drive to return all the hostages and to destroy Hamas. (Editing by Howard Goller, Editing by Louise Heavens)